Explorer's Handbook Classes
Cataclysm Mage (Explorer's Handbook variant, p. 58) Cataclysm mages seek after Eberron's most powerful mysteries, long lost to the past. Requirements Skills: Knowledge (history) 8 ranks , Knowledge (the planes) 8 ranks Special: Character must have received a vision, such as those from the following: a dusk hag1, the Pond of Shadows in the Shadow Marches 1, or a demon glass oracle 2. 1 See the EBERRON Campaign Setting. 2 See page 112. Hit die d4 Skill points 2 + Int Class Features Spellcasting: At every level except 1st, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a cataclysm mage, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known. Dhakaani Secret (Ex): The Dhakaani were powerful artificers of arms and armor. When you create magic weapons with the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat, you can imbue the weapon with one of the following special abilities at no experience point cost: bane, keen, mighty cleaving, thundering, or vicious. When you create magic armor or shields with the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat, you can imbue the armor or shield with one of the following special abilities at no experience point cost: arrow catching, bashing, blinding, light fortification, shadow, or silent moves. You still pay the experience point cost for the weapon, armor, or shield's other abilities as normal, and the gold piece cost of creating the item is unchanged. Personal Prophecy: At 1st level and every three levels thereafter, a cataclysm mage receives and creates a personal prophecy. After he fulfills his prophecy, fate smiles on him; his next four action points spent use d8s rather than d6s. At the Dungeon Master's option, you might not be allowed to progress past the next cataclysm level until you have fulfilled your personal prophecy. For example, a 1st-level cataclysm mage who receives a prophecy that she will become blood sister to a Seren barbarian would not be allowed to advance to 4th level (the next level at which she receives a personal prophecy) until her 1st-level prophecy has been fulfilled. Only cataclysm mages can benefit from a personal prophecy; if the last level you gained was in another class, you cannot earn or use the benefits of a personal prophecy until you take another level of cataclysm mage. To determine your prophecy, roll on the following table. A personal prophecy cannot be repeated; if you obtain a duplicate result at a later level, roll again. DMs may substitute their own ideas for the prophecies listed below as desired. Xoriat Secret (Ex): At the end of the Age of Monsters, Xoriat became coterminous with Eberron and released madness and chaos upon the world. From 2nd level on, your study of this cataclysm grants you immunity to confusion and insanity effects. Cataclysm of Flesh (Sp): At 3rd level, you complete your study of the daelkyr-Dhakaani conflict, gaining the ability to tear a hole in the fabric of the planes and let the madness of Xoriat corrupt all it touches. This ability has a range of 25 feet + 5 feet per class level, and a duration of 1 round per class level. All creatures within a 20-foot radius of the affect's center must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 14 + your Int modifier) or be touched by the lemon rains and mindless star-worms of the Realm of Madness, forced to endure as their own flesh melts away and rains upward to patter on the ceiling as they deliquesce. An affected creature cannot hold or use any item (including clothing, armor, magic items, and so on). It can ooze forward with gelatinous pseudopods at a speed of 10 feet. If it normally has movement modes other than land speed, those modes are reduced by 30 feet (with a speed of 0 or less meaning that the creature has lost that movement mode until it regains its normal form). Pain also wracks the stressed nerves of the victim. To cast a spell or use a spell-like ability while in this oozelike form, a creature must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 25 + spell level) or have the spell or spell-like ability wasted. (In addition, because of its inability to hold objects, an affected creature cannot cast spells that require material components.) The amorphous wretch can still attack with natural weapons, but it does so at a —4 penalty on attack rolls and with a 50% miss chance because its eyes have transmuted into spongy yolks. The victim regains its normal form when the effect ends. Cor'dran Secret (Ex): At 4th level, you commence your study of the Age of Giants with the Cor'dran Empire, one of the mightiest to rule over Xen'drik before the quori invasion. From it, you learn the secrets of schemas, docents, and constructs. Once per day, you can maximize one repair damage spell you cast (as if under the effect of the Maximize Spell feat) without affecting the level of the spell or its casting time. Dal Quor Secret (Ex): The invasion of Xen'drik toppled the civilization of the giants, and from your study of the quori, you unlock the secrets of the mind. Starting at 5th level, you gain a +2 resistance bonus on any saving throw made to resist a psionic effect or psi-like ability. Cataclysm of Dreams (Sp): Your study of the giant-quori doomsday war culminates at 6th level in a mastery of the physical and psychic destruction that drove that cataclysm. Once per day, you can cause earth and dreams alike to quake under your power. All those standing on the ground within a 20-foot radius around you must succeed on a DC 20 Balance check or fall prone. Any structures within the area take 75 points of damage (generally enough to collapse wooden buildings and walls, but not masonry or stone structures). Hardness does not reduce this damage, nor is it halved as damage dealt to objects normally is. See Chapter 3: Adventures in the Dungeon Master's Guide for hit point information for dungeon and city walls, doors, and fortifications. At the same time, you stir nightmares in the minds of intelligent creatures within 20 feet, causing them to see fearsome, ghostly tsucora quori (see page 296 of the EBERRON Campaign Setting) rise howling from fissures rent in the earth. Those who fail a Will save (DC 16 + your Int modifier) are panicked. Creatures who succeed on their save are shaken. Both effects last for 1d4 rounds. The nightmare (but not the earth tremors) is a mind-affecting fear effect. Ashtakalan Secret (Ex): Your study of the Age of Demons begins at 7th level with the demonic city of Ashtakala, granting you knowledge of the secrets of demonic seduction and deception. Add +1 to the DC for all saving throws against enchantment (charm) spells you cast. This bonus stacks with any similar bonus, such as from Spell Focus. Haka'torvhak Secret (Ex): From your study of this ancient demon citadel and battleground, you learn secrets of the fiends who defiled this land eons ago. From 8th level on, you gain a +2 insight bonus on caster level checks made to overcome a demon's spell resistance (including checks made when a bound demon attempts to break free from one of your magic circles, as might happen after you cast a planar binding spell). Cataclysm of Silver (Sp): Like a river of argent, the couatls ringed Ashtakala and sang down its walls, willingly losing themselves in the eldritch whirlpool that flooded the city with silver flame. At 9th level, you learn from them the purity of silver and the power of self-sacrifice. Once per day, you can generate a flood of silver flame, creating a river of holy fire 20 feet wide and 20 feet high that sweeps you along at its head. You move at a speed of 40 feet per round, with the path that you and the river move along burning for the duration of the ability. The silver flame deals damage equal to 1d6 points + your catalyst mage level each round to any creature in the area. Half the damage is fire damage and half is positive energy damage. Buildings and objects do not halve the damage they take from the cataclysm of silver as they do from most energy sources. The river continues to flow for up to 1 round per class level, or until dismissed. While guiding the river of silver flame, you can take no other actions. If you stop guiding the river by taking any other action on your turn, the effect ends immediately. Creatures can only be affected by the silver river once per round; if you lead the river back upon itself and overlap with your previous course in a subsequent found, affected creatures in the area of overlap take damage as normal. While this ability is active, you are immune to damage not only from your own cataclysm of silver, but from that of any other cataclysm mage. Your movement at the head of the river of silver flame provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. Dragonmark Secret (Ex): When you reach 10th level, your study of the Age of Dragons and arcane magic has yielded great knowledge at a terrible risk. At the beginning of each day, you can choose to manifest one least, lesser, or greater dragonmark and for an entire day. You gain the use of the spell-like ability associated with the mark you manifest. If you already have a dragonmark, you do not gain the ability to manifest two dragonmarks at once; instead, you gain the ability to change your dragonmark at the beginning of each day. As powerful as this ability is, it carries with it great risk. Many dragons already resent that the dragon marks appear on lesser races, yet take solace in the fact that they alone (as far as they are concerned) can interpret the infinitely complex meanings of these marks and their impact on the great Prophecy. The dragons put great store in the number and location of every individual dragonmark. A cataclysm mage who masters the dragonmark secret can throw their many-faceted calculations into chaos at the slightest whim. To protect both the Prophecy and the fabric of fate itself, the dragons decree that those who carry the dragonmark secret must die swiftly and with no hope of resurrection. Advancement Class skills Thunder Guide (Explorer's Handbook variant, p. 64) Bodyguards to nobles on safari, shepherds to spelunking university professors, and the real-life heroes of chronicle serials across Khorvaire, thunder guides provide the strong blades, keen senses, and local knowledge necessary to survive a trip across the Thunder Sea. Requirements Base Attack Bonus: +4 Skills: Diplomacy 3 ranks Special: Must have adventured in at least two of the following areas: Aerenal, Argonnessen, Seren, Shargon's Teeth, the Thunder Sea, Xen'drik. Special: Must speak at least one of the following languages: Aquan, Argon, Elven, Draconic, Drow, Giant, Sahuagin. Hit die d10 Skill points 4 + Int Class Features Speak Language: At 1st level and at every third level thereafter, you learn to speak a new language from the following list: Aquan, Argon, Celestial, Elven, Draconic, Drow, Giant, Sahuagin, Undercommon. Thunder Lore: At every even-numbered class level, you learn a secret from your contacts among the civilizations of the Thunder Sea. You can pick one ability from the following list. Aereni Crystalmancy (Sp): With an Irian crystal as a focus, you can use false life (as the spell, page 229 of the Player's Handbook) once per day as a spell-like ability (CL 3rd). There is a 15% chance that the crystal shatters when using this ability. Breath of Shargon (Ex): You can hold your breath for 1 minute per point of Constitution. After this period of time, you must make Constitution checks normally to continue holding your breath (see Water Dangers, page 304 of the Dungeon Master's Guide). Dragonsong (Ex): Once only (and even then but far away), you have heard the dragons wake the hills of Argonnessen with song. Having been witness to the tragic glory of dragonsong, you are immune to the charms of lesser songs (the captivating song of harpies, the fascinate and suggestion spell-like abilities of a bard, and so on). As well, you gain a +4 insight bonus on saving throws made to resist any other charm effect. Eye of the Chamber (Ex): The draconic agents of the Chamber have taught you insight in combat. When you study one opponent as a standard action, you gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls against that opponent. If you go an hour without attacking the opponent, you lose the bonus, and must study that opponent again as a standard action in order to regain it. Ghost of Xen'drik: In any jungle environment, you gain a +4 competence bonus on Hide, Move Silently, and Survival checks. Malenti Pearl Trick (Sp): With a pearl of at least 100 gp value as a focus, you can use charm person as a spell-like ability once per day (CL 3rd). Pandin Temn (Ex): You have trained at the side of drow to become a pandin temn, a scourge of giants. You gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class and a +1 bonus on attack rolls when fi ghting any creature that is Large or larger. Savage of the Mists (Sp): Inspired by the high cloud forests of coastal Xen'drik, you can use obscuring mist once per day as a spell-like ability (CL 3rd). As well, when fi ghting in any mist or fog thick enough to grant concealment, you gain a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls. Savage of the Storm (Su): From the storm giant degenerates of deep Xen'drik, you have learned the secrets of brutality. Once per day, you can gain a +2 bonus to Strength for 1 minute. Activating this ability is a fullround action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Seren Hide (Ex): Your skin becomes rough like the hide of the Seren jungle beasts. You gain a +1 natural armor bonus. Vicious Barbarism (Ex): The cruelty of the Seren barbarians informs your fi ghting. Any time one of your melee attacks reduces an opponent to less than 1 hit point per Hit Die she possesses, you instinctively go for the kill. Roll 1d4 +1 per three thunder guide levels. If this result exceeds the target's remaining hit points, the target takes that much extra damage. Xen'drik Boomerang Expert: You gain the Exotic Weapon Profi ciency (Xen'drik boomerang) feat. As well, when you throw a Xen'drik boomerang, its range increment increases to 30 feet and you never fail your attack roll to catch a returning Xen'drik boomerang. Native Ties: At 3rd level and every three levels thereafter, you bond with the natives of a particular region whose language you speak. Each time you gain this ability, you choose a new culture and gain a +2 competence bonus on Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Sense Motive checks made with members of that culture. In addition, you gain a culture-specifi c benefi t as follows. Drow of Xen'drik: You forge ties with a family of drow living within 50 miles of the Thunder Sea coast (you designate your drow family's specifi c location). When you visit, your adoptive dark elf brothers furnish you with up to two of any of the following: vials of antitoxin, glyphbooks, fl asks of acidic fi re, Mabar crystals, and noxious smokesticks. If you make a DC 15 Diplomacy check, you can also have any one of the following spells cast for you: dispel magic, remove curse, or remove disease (all CL 5th). Other spells might be available at the DM's discretion. Elves of Pylas Talaear: Syraen Melideth, governor of Pylas Talaear, knows of you and welcomes the commerce you bring to the city. You are afforded free accommodation in the elven port, and the governor subsidizes half the cost of any House Lyrandar airship or galleon trip you make to or from Pylas Talaear. As well, if you succeed on a DC 15 Charisma check, your connections in the necromantic markets of the foreign quarter allow you to purchase kieros leaves and covadish leaves at half price. Elves of the Northern Steppes: The Tairnadal recognize you as one of their own. When you are in the northern plains of Aerenal, you can purchase steeds whose bloodlines trace back to the Age of Giants in Xen'drik. These Tairnadal steeds are identical to Valenar riding horses save for their Strength and Dexterity scores, which are both 16. All Tairnadal steeds are trained for war. Each magnifi cent animal costs 1,200 gp. Sahuagin of Shargon's Teeth: You have right of passage through Shargon's Teeth. If sahuagin raiders attack your ship on its way across the Thunder Sea to Xen'drik or elsewhere, you can present yourself and make a DC 20 Diplomacy check to raise the Sahugin's attitude from hostile to unfriendly (though you gain no such benefi t with other sea creatures). Additionally, you can hire mercenaries from the aquatic races of the area, including sahuagin, merrow (aquatic ogres), scrags (aquatic trolls), and locathah. Aquatic mercenaries work anywhere in the greater Thunder Sea, but do not take their dangerous work lightly, hiring on for no less than 70 gp each per day. Seren Barbarians: You can trade with the Seren barbarians as if you bore a dragonmark. When in a Seren village, you can make a DC 15 Diplomacy check with the village's Shroud of Scales (see page 98) to purchase up to two potions (2nd-level or lower) at half the normal price. As well, with a successful DC 20 Diplomacy check, you can purchase one Quaal's feather token at half the normal price. Storm Giants of Xen'drik: Lurking in the crumbling ruins of their ancient cities, some giants in Xen'drik cling to the great deeds of the past. When you visit the ruins of one such giant you have befriended (at a location you designate within 50 miles of the Thunder Sea coast), the giant will conduct arcane research at your request in decrepit libraries dating to the Cor'dran and Eshtarn empires. Determine the results of such research (and the time required) as if the giant were casting a legend lore spell. Stormreach Irregulars: You are a hero to the street children of Stormreach, gaining a +4 circumstance bonus on Gather Information checks and a +2 circumstance bonus on Sleight of Hand checks made within the city. As well, you treat the city as a large town for the purpose of determining Urban Tracking check DCs and the number of checks required to track down your quarry. Lionized in the Press: Starting at 5th level, the Korranberg Chronicle, the Breland Ledger, the Aundairian Scroll, and other news chronicle sheets breathlessly recount your adventures across the Thunder Sea. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy checks when dealing with members of the press, nobility, and dragonmarked houses in Khorvaire. When at the University of Wynarn, Morgrave University, or the Korranberg Library, you can present a lecture, earning 200 gp for your appearance with a successful DC 10 Perform (oratory) check. You can make no more than one such speech per month. Rescue Artist: From 6th level, you are exceptionally skilled at extracting others from diffi cult situations. You automatically succeed on Climb check attempts made to catch a falling character (see page 69 of the Player's Handbook). You also gain a +4 competence bonus on all Strength-based skill checks made when carrying or supporting another person. This applies, for example, to Climb checks made to swing on a rope while holding another person, to Jump checks made to dismount from a swinging rope with another person in your grasp, and to Swim checks made while supporting a foundering swimmer. When using the Ride skill, you can make a DC 15 Ride check to lift a willing person into the saddle. This is a special standard action that can occur in the middle of your move action. For example, a thunder guide on a Valenar riding horse could move 30 feet, swing the king's daughter up into his saddle, and then continue moving another 50 feet, with the total distance moved in the round not exceeding the mount's speed. Serial Hero: At 8th level, famed Korranberg Chronicle reporter Kole Naerrin writes a serialized account of your adventures appearing over the course of thirteen weeks. You earn 1,000 gp per point of your Charisma bonus for the rights to your story (minimum 1,000 gp). Society Peer: At 10th level, aristocrats and the dragonmarked houses hail you as the defender of civilization in the Thunder Sea regions, and as a champion of the ancient honor of Galifar. You are entitled to use the prefi x "Lord" in Aundair, Breland, Karrnath, and Thrane. Your circumstance bonus on Diplomacy checks when dealing with nobility and members of the dragonmarked houses increases to +3. House Lyrandar and House Orien grant you unrestricted traveling privileges at no cost on their lines, counting on the publicity of your endorsement to offset the cost of your fare. Advancement Class skills Windwright Captain (Explorer's Handbook variant, p. 70) The self-proclaimed masters of sky and sea, the windwright captains are the finest pilots of airships and wind galleons on Eberron. Requirements Race: Half-elf Skills: Balance 4 ranks , Profession (sailor) 10 ranks , Use Magic Device 6 ranks Feats: Lesser Dragonmark (Mark of Storm; must have selected the _wind's favor_ ability) Special: Ability to cast 1st-level arcane spells or imbue 1st-level infusions. Must have piloted an airship or wind galleon at least once while in the service of House Lyrandar. Hit die d6 Skill points 6 + Int Class Features Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the short sword and the rapier, but not with any armor or shield. Spellcasting/Infusions: At each odd-numbered level, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. Alternatively, you gain new infusions per day as if you had gained a level in an infusion-imbuing class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you are capable of both casting arcane spells and imbuing infusions, or if you had more than one arcane spellcasting or infusion-imbuing class before becoming a windwright captain, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known, or for determining infusions per day. Dragonmark Control (Ex): Levels in the windwright captain prestige class count as levels in the dragonmark heir prestige class when determining the caster level for the spell-like abilities of your dragonmarks. Master Pilot (Ex): You are the undisputed master of controlling vehicles powered by bound elementals. While piloting such vessels, you can add your windwright captain class level to your Profession (sailor) checks. Shipboard Fighter (Ex): At 1st level and beyond, you can take 10 on Balance and Climb checks even if threatened and distracted. You also do not lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class when balancing or climbing. Acquire Ship: The elders of House Lyrandar know that a truly skilled pilot can earn more gold taking private commissions than ferrying cargo and passengers back and forth along established fare routes. Starting at 2nd level, the house agrees to lend you a standard airship or wind galleon (your choice) for your indefinite use. Enough House Lyrandar crew members to properly operate the chosen vessel are also provided, each a half-elf expert 1 with maximum ranks in Profession (sailor). As long as you remain in good standing with House Lyrandar, you can use this vessel as you see fit with one notable condition: one-fifth of your gross income from the use of the ship must be tithed back to Lyrandar, including any treasure retrieved during explorations for which the ship was utilized. If the house has reason to believe this tithe is not being paid, they are within their rights to ask that the ship be returned to them— perhaps even going so far as to send an armed retrieval squad to repossess the vessel (and any tithes owed) in the middle of the night. At any time after acquiring the ship, you can purchase it outright for the standard airship cost of 92,000 gp. Doing so voids your need to tithe further to Lyrandar's coffers, but also causes the house to begin charging fees for the use of the crew. Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, you cannot be caught flat-footed and react to danger before your senses would normally allow you to do so. See the barbarian class feature, Player's Handbook page 26. Rebuke Elementals (Su): Choose one type of elemental bound by House Lyrandar ships (either air or fire). At 3rd level, you gain the ability to rebuke, command, or bolster elementals of that type, as an evil cleric rebukes undead. Use your character level in place of your cleric level when determining how many Hit Dice of elementals you can affect with this ability. See Turn or Rebuke Undead, page 159 of the Player's Handbook. Bound elementals under your command through a wheel of wind and water, lesser shipbond, or greater shipbond abilities do not count toward the total Hit Dice of elementals commanded. Lesser Shipbond (Su): At 4th level, you can forge a magical bond with a single vessel powered by a bound elemental. This process requires raw materials with a cost equal to 1/25 of the vessel's value (3,680 gp for a standard airship, 2,560 gp for a wind galleon). You must also expend experience points equal to 1/10 of the vessel's value (9,200 XP for an airship, 6,400 XP for a wind galleon), and spend a full day of uninterrupted meditation to complete the bonding process. Once the lesser shipbond is established, it grants you several benefits with regard to that specific vessel. You no longer require a wheel of wind and water to use your dragonmark to control the bound elemental. You can telepathically communicate with it without standing at the helm, allowing you to give it orders from anywhere aboard the ship as a move action. The vessel's top speed increases by +20 feet while you are at the helm, giving a standard airship or wind galleon a speed of 24 miles per hour overland (or 576 miles per day). This increase is an enhancement bonus. The elemental acknowledges and accepts your dominance of it, becoming a trusted ally and friend to you. As long as you are on board the ship, it can initiate telepathic contact with you should it desire. It also offers advice when it can and warns you of any approaching danger, even if you are not at the helm. At the same time, the elemental becomes even more resistant to accepting orders from others. Anyone other than you or your cohort (if you have one) who attempts to control the elemental without benefit of a dragonmark takes a —8 penalty on their Charisma check. Even a dragonmark heir using a wheel of wind and water must succeed on a Charisma check to control the ship. The elemental also gains a +4 circumstance bonus on its saving throw to resist any spell or infusion that would grant control over it to anyone other than you (see Controlling a Bound Elemental, page 25). You can have a lesser shipbond with only one vessel at a time. If the vessel is destroyed (or if you wish to revoke the shipbond so that you might bond with a different vessel), you must make a DC 15 Fortitude save. Failure means you lose 200 XP per windwright captain level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. Greater Shipbond (Su): At 5th level, your bond to your chosen ship increases in power. You can now telepathically communicate with your vessel's bound elemental at any range, up to 1 mile per point of your Charisma bonus. You can even order the elemental to begin moving the ship while you are not aboard, though the elemental's piloting skills are inferior to your own. Use the elemental's Profession (sailor) check (usually +0) instead of yours if you are not aboard. If you are aboard the vessel, you and it act almost as one, allowing you to command it as a free action instead of a move action. Advancement Class skills Category:DND Category:3.5e Category:Explorer's Handbook Category:Classes Category:Explorer's Handbook Classes